A look at Nintendo's best (and worst) gaming systems

With Nintendo's Wii U video game console coming out in just a matter of days, the Game Guys look back at the company's five best and worst hardware offerings.

[1upgamer99]

I for one liked the Gamecube. I did not mind the controller at all. The games were KICK BUTT, and It had almost 2x's the power of PS2. I loved the wavebird, which was the first wireless controller. and still have mine to this day, it is plugged into my Wii. Some of the Cube titles are better than Wii games!

[NintendoGal]

I loved my Wavebird controller! It felt great in the hands and the battery seemed to last forever.

[Tuxmask55]

I couldn't stand the GameCube controller; and I could never afford a Wavebird, so I was stuck with the default.

[dark-hollow]

GameCube controller is one of the most comfortable controllers of all time in my opinion.

[josephayal]

The GameCube has left behind a legacy

[Moonman]

I never played a Virtual Boy, I've heard Nintendo World Store has one to play? I want to try it. But everything else I have played and enjoyed since my first console..the NES. Nintendo knows how to make games for their consoles. This makes me even more excited for WiiU.

[1upgamer99]

Really, you are not missing much, accept a headache. I just looked for you, and you can pick one up on E-bay for $145.00. I would not do it though. You would be let down. Stick with any other console as Nintendo..If you have a Wii , there are a TON of great games for Gamecube you can play on it, and get the Gamecube games on E-bay for next to nothing.

[jmc8888]

Yep the virtual boy was a disaster. Kudos to Nintendo for trying to make a virtual reality headset, but it simply was too ambitious for the time.

I remember trying one out at Blockbuster a few times and it gave me a headache too. The graphics were horrible and the it was basically two colors on screen. Red and black.

Can't remember the name but there is something that is in development now that takes advantage of the newer tech for a VR type system. Still won't be great, but a big step up from everything before it. Might be worth a buy. John Carmack was talking about it and saw a video of it somewhere a few months back. But now that motion controls have been implemented, they can turn around and use those accelerometers and other tech to really up the ante in VR. Couple that with the ability to have good resolution on small screens (though not yet 1080p at affordable price points), and 3d at 60 or 120 FPS, and we're getting close to tech that can do something quite special.

[chadboban]

Virtual Boy is the worst easily, I've pretty much enjoyed every other Nintendo console including handhelds since the NES.

[1upgamer99]

I agree with you on Virtual Boy...Uggg....I heard the creator of it Gunpei Yokoi committed suicide after its failure. I just Googled it and had mixed results. I heard that years ago though. I hope he wouldn't kill himself over something like that though.

[Games4M - Rob]

Thats not true.

[Elwenil]

He got hit by a car.

[Gr81]

The standouts of Nintendo's home Consoles have to be the OG NES, The Legendary SNES and the Revolutionary Wii. The N64 had some incredible gems such as GoldenEye, OoT, Birthed Smash Bros, Starfox, and Mario Kart. But it didn't live up to the other consoles' Variety imo. Gamecube was well, pretty lame with few exceptions, it did have some of the greatest games of its gen but there weren't enough. But props has to be given for Metroid Prime & the REmake and RE4. Virtual Boy wasn't..necessary.

As for the handheld market I don't think they've floundered at all, save for the 3DS launch and a shameful 2D Mario launch. I don't own one but I can see its value. Gameboy and the DS were huge success and two of the greatest handheld systems ever.

Just my two cents.

[Zodiac]

I thought the Gamecube controller was pretty damn comfortable.

I think the gamecube was pretty important for Nintendo as well.

1. Brought back Metroid in the best way possible

2. Animal Crossing.

3. Pikmin.

4. Allowed Melee to establish Smash Bros as a viable franchise

5. Showed that 3D pokemon adventure games have potential.

6. Resident Evil 4. The creator said that if RE$ was ported, then he would cut off his head. Me thinks that the game might not had existed without the Gamecube.

7.More Starfox, Kirby, Mario, Donkey Kong, and Zelda.

It was more powerful than the ps2, so no, it did not have less quality as stated and it never sold for a loss.

Launched at 200 bucks to add. I think it was a great console.

[mcstorm]

I agree I still have my Game cube. For me the only failed console in that list is the Virtual Boy. Nintendo tried to do a Sega with this and the tech was not quite ready and where it should of been.

I even loved the GBA even though the SP was a lot better the GBA was at the time an amazing console.

For me though even though it was not as high selling and the Nes SNES and Wii the N64 has been the best console to come out of the big N as this was the 1st home console I enjoyed playing a lot of MP games with my mates. Gloden eye, WCW VS NWO, Perfect Dark, Super Smash Bros, FZero are just a few I can think of off the top of my head I spent hours after school playing mp with my mates.

The rest of the consoles were amazing even the Wii. It has not got the credit it deserves from a lot of people as games like Mario Football, Mario Kart, Mario Galaxy, Zelda are some of the most fun game of this gen but a lot of people seem to think if it has not got guns in it its not a fun game.

To me the Big 4 Sega, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have given us some amazing machines over the past 30 or 40 years and some of the best games we have ever seen.

I cant wait to get my hands on the WiiU in 2 weeks though.

[Games4M - Rob]

SNES was their best in my opinion. 64, gamecube, and Wii were all big dissapointments to me and had some very poor design choices.

WiiU looks good and im hoping its a return to form for nintendo.

[Droid Control]

It was all downhill after the N64 for me. Gamecube was all right, but the Wii was awful.

[RFornillos4]

i don't believe the Wii to be one of the worst. Virtual Boy, yes, but GC and Wii? ridiculous. given that the Wii lacked graphical power compared to it's counterparts, Wii also revolutionized motion controls, and has some of the best games ever on a console (Super Mario Galaxy, Zelda, etc.). in terms of sales Wii also surpasses the others (except PS1 if i'm not mistaken), so I don't agree to it being a "worst".

As for GC, i still play my GC, and enjoy it. sales-wise it's not that good, but to say it's one of the worst, c'mon.